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APPENDIX A USDA DEFINITIONS OF ALTERNATIVE BELTWIDE COTTON INSECT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM OPTIONS Six beltwide boll weevil/cotton insect management programs were defined and approved by SEA-ES and APHIS personnel in consultation with Optimum Pest Management Regional Extension Education Advisory Committee (OPMREEAC), the Overall Evaluation Team, and the Facilita- tor Group. The program definitions are: Current Insect Control (CIC) assumes insect control as now practiced by producers ranging from no control to intensive treatment with insecticides. Current insect control implies a continuation of extension education and technical assistance at the present level of funding. Optimum Pest Management with Continuing Incentives for Boll Weevil Management (OPM-I) would consist of two major insect manage- ment options, whichever is most applicable for a particular area. Additional extension personnel and support would be required to implement both options. One option, Optimum Pest Management (OPM) would utilize the boll weevil/cotton insect management practices that were tested in the Mississippi trial with emphasis on diapause and pin-head square treatments, as needed, and full reimbursement for the cost of these treatments. In all areas where the diapause strategy could not be implemented or where it is not needed, an alternate option, Modified Optimum Pest Management (MOPM) would be followed. It would utilize, if applicable, all the practices tested in the Missis- sippi trial except the organized areawide diapause strategy, but may include voluntary diapause treatments by individual producers. In areas having potential for moderate-to-heavy infestations of boll weevils, the OPM option would be implemented where effective. Dispause and pinhead square treatments would be specified as recom- mended technology. The criterion for an effective program is to maintain the midseason population of boll weevils below treatment levels on 90 percent or more of the acreage prior to onset of Helio- this pressure. Growers would be reimbursed for boll weevil diapause and pinhead square treatments at such a level and over sufficient treated acreage to achieve an effective program. l04
l05 As an example, OFM in Mississippi would: (l) use grandlure baited traps as survey tools; (2) urge producers to plant cotton within recommended dates; (3) recommend [treatments] and reimburse producers for pinhead square applications, if needed; (4) scout all cotton by commercial consultants, grower organizations, CES employ- ees, or trained producers; (5) urge producers to follow CES recom- mendations for in-season control of boll weevils and other cotton insects; (6) reimburse producers for boll weevil diapause treatments, if needed; and (7) urge producers to destroy stalks, if harvested prior to frost. Consultant and grower organizations would be in- volved, with CES providing information on recommended insect control practices. However, in areas, if any, where the required acreage for an effective program could not be reached with the OPM option or where boll weevil infestations are historically light and usually do not reach treatment levels, the Modified Optimum Pest Management (MOPM) option would be implemented. This option implies that the diapause and/or pinhead square technology either could not be adopted on a sufficient percentage of the cotton acreage for an effective areawide OPM option or it would not be needed because of the low population levels of boll weevil. The objective of MOPM is to reduce the number of unnecessary in-season treatments for boll weevil and other cotton insects through effective scouting and monitoring. Examples of areas where diapause and/or pinhead square treatments are not commonly needed include north Alabama, some areas in the Mississippi Delta, Upper Concho area of Texas, and north Oklahoma. To implement both options under the OPM-I program, additional extension personnel and funds would be required to provide technical information and educational guidance in the management of boll wee- vils and other cotton insects. All available proven technology may be applied in implementing this program. Use of the technology recommended and participation in this program would be voluntary on the part of the grower. From l to 3 years may be required to fully implement this program, depending on cotton acreage and availability of staff. The acreage that one entomologist can handle will vary because of the location and intensity of cotton acreage as well as historic patterns of insect management problems. Optimum Pest Management with Phased Incentive Payments for Boll Weevil Management (OPM-PI) includes the same program components including personnel and funds as OPM-I except that incentive payments for diapause and pinhead square treatments would be phased out over time as follows: lst year: Same as OPM-I, l00 percent of needed treatment 2nd year: 75 percent of needed treatment 3rd year: 50 percent of needed treatment 4th year: No incentive payment The logic in evaluating this program is that in some areas an incentive may serve to demonstrate the technical and economic feasi- bility of diapause and pinhead square treatments and that growers may
l06 continue the use of these practices. If the required acreage for an effective diapause/pinhead square option could not be maintained after payments are phased out, the MOPM option would be implemented. Optimum Pest Management with No Incentive Payments for Boll Weevil Management (OPM-NI) is the same as OPM-I with the exception that no reimbursements to producers would be made for diapause or pinhead square treatments. If the required level of acreage could not be reached, the MOPM option would be established and the diapause/ pinhead square technology would not be implemented on an areawide basis. Optimum Pest Management with No Incentive Payments and with Boll Weevil Eradication (OPM-NI-BWE) includes eradication of the boll weevil as a major component. The beltwide eradication component would use the technology proven by the North Carolina trial and ongoing research. However, it does not need to be a replication of the North Carolina trial. Boll weevil eradication would begin in the Southeast and proceed west through eight separate zones, followed by the maintenance of a buffer zone between the United States and Mexico to inhibit reinfes- tation. To insure efficient implementation of this program, OPM-NI would be implemented beltwide l year prior to the initiation of eradication. MOPM practices for the control of other insects would be in place during and following eradication. The major components of the program to eradicate the boll weevil from a designated zone are: (l) Prior to eradication, the voluntary program with no incen- tive payments to producers (OPM-NI) would involve information and education, organization of producers and encouragement of producers to follow recommended insect control practices. (2) During the first year of eradication, growers would be responsible for in-season control of all insects, including boll weevils. Growers would be urged to follow recommendations for all cotton insects. Beginning in early September (depending on area and weather) APHIS would initiate a boll weevil eradication program with diapause treatments of boll weevils, using guthion, malathion, or other recommended insecticides, as needed. A range of 5-l0 treat- ments is projected to be required on all acreage in infested areas. (3) During the second year of eradication, APHIS would monitor and control incipient boll weevil infestations by the use of sterile weevils, Dimilin, and organophosphorous insecticides, as needed. Growers would be urged to follow recommended practices for control of other insects. (4) During subsequent years, growers would continue with MOPM practices for the control of other insects in a weevil-free environ- ment, while regulatory agencies would assume responsibility for routine surveillance of the areas cleared (trapping density of l per 200 acres) and the control of incipient boll weevil infestations. Following eradication, the Extension Service would continue to pro- vide information to growers on how best to manage cotton insects in the absence of the boll weevil.
l07 Current Insect Control with Boll Weevil Eradication (CIC-BWE) also would include eradication of the boll weevil as a major supple- ment to the current cotton insect management program. The beltwide eradication component would use the technology proven by the North Carolina trial and ongoing research. The eradication component remains essentially the same as in OPM-NI-BWE, but there are no provisions for additional staffing or funding of CES programs prior to, during, or following eradication.
